This IS a breastfeeding issue! 

I remember in the late 80's being frustrated at not being able to help moms
the way I should because of the workload - now it's much worse!  

One of the SHORT term solutions is support for the mom immediately after
she goes home, which is what I'm working on in my county - but the correct
solution is keeping moms in the hospital with supportive staff and gentle
caring staff who are paid adequately and allowed to do the job they really
thought they were getting into when they chose to be nurses.

I know many of you feel the place to deliver is in the home, and that may
be the case for the middle-class mom with lots of family support and an
adequate food supply once she gets home.  But for many of the moms I serve,
the best thing would be to be able to move her and her children/family into
a supportive, protected, nourishing (physically and emotionally)
environment to allow her the recuperation time she needs before facing the
stress in her home again.  Twenty-four hours is not enough - for mother,
baby OR staff to do the job that needs to be done.

Jeanette Panchula, BSW, RN, PHN, IBCLC
Vacaville, CA

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